Belgium’s national broadcaster RTBF announced that beloved Eurovision winner Sandra Kim will return to the contest as the spokesperson delivering Belgium’s jury points at the Eurovision 2026 Grand Final.
The Belgian-Walloon national broadcaster RTBF, which operates in the French-speaking region of Belgium, was the first to reveal its spokesperson for the Eurovision 2026 Grand Final. The chosen representative is none other than singer Sandra Kim, the legendary winner of Eurovision 1986, who will announce the Belgian jury’s points in a special tribute marking four decades since her historic victory.
RTBF officially confirmed that Kim will serve as the spokesperson presenting the Belgian jury’s votes during the live broadcast of the Eurovision 2026 Grand Final. Belgium thus becomes the first country this season to disclose its points presenter. The choice of Kim commemorates the 40th anniversary of the nation’s only Eurovision victory.
The singer is widely regarded as a national icon in Belgium and a cornerstone figure in Eurovision history, having brought the country its sole win in 1986 with her song “J’aime la vie” (in English: “I Love Life”). Kim retains an unbreakable record as the youngest winner in Eurovision history, claiming the title at just 13 and a half years old. At the time, her age sparked controversy because the song’s lyrics stated she was fifteen, leading to a rule change that now allows only contestants aged sixteen and above to participate.
Following her victory, Kim rose to international fame, selling approximately 1.4 million copies of her hit single. She went on to enjoy a prolific career that included releasing several albums, hosting television shows, and performing a leading role in the musical “Les Misérables”. Her most recent appearance on the Eurovision stage took place during the 2005 anniversary concert, where she performed a tribute to the 1964 Italian winning song “Non Ho L’eta”.
Now, Kim is set to return to the Eurovision screens once again — this time to cheer for Belgium’s current representative, Essyla, who will perform the song “Dancing on the Ice” in the first semi-final on May 12. Essyla is scheduled to appear 11th in the lineup, and many hope that the presence of Belgium’s only Eurovision champion during the decisive moments will inspire her to achieve another historic success for the country.
Essyla – Who Are You?
Essyla, born Alice Van Aesbeck and hailing from Bruges, Belgium, is a singer-songwriter who first gained national recognition after reaching the final of the ninth season of “The Voice Belgique” in 2021. From an early age, she formed her first musical ensemble and later continued her formal training at IMEP, a higher academic institution for music comparable to a conservatory. Her musical style draws influence from French chanson while blending pop with elements of jazz, folk, rock, and funk. In her artistic work, she emphasizes themes of empowerment and contemporary issues from a female perspective. Among her notable songs are “Let You Go” and “Not My Kind of Dude“.
Belgium at Eurovision 2026
“Dancing on the Ice” is the title of the song to be performed by singer Essyla, who will represent Belgium at Eurovision 2026, set to take place in Vienna, Austria. Belgium will compete as song number 11 in the First Semi-Final on May 12th. The song was written by Essyla herself, alongside songwriter Barbara Petitjean.
Currently, Belgium is ranked 28th in the betting tables ahead of Eurovision 2026.
Eurovision 2026: This will be Belgium’s 67th participation in the contest. Belgium joined Eurovision in 1956 as one of its seven founding nations. The country’s best result came in 1986, when Sandra Kim won first place with “J’aime la vie”.
